The Longing for Restoration

Psalm 130:5-8 (NASB 2020 edition)

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
And I wait for His word.

6 My soul waits in hope for the Lord
More than the watchmen for the morning;
Yes, more than the watchmen for the morning.

7 Israel, wait for the Lord;
For with the Lord there is mercy,
And with Him is abundant redemption.

8 And He will redeem Israel
From all his guilty deeds.

REFLECTION

Psalm 130 is one of the so-called "Songs of Ascents" – or "Songs of Pilgrimage"; penitential psalms that express bitterness over sin and reveal a longing for Redemption. In our reading today, the psalmist knows that sin will not be the end of the story – “… Lord… I trust in your word” (v.5).

         Similarly, Advent reminds us that we live in a world broken by sin, but not without hope. The birth of Jesus is the assurance that God has not forgotten us. The angelic choir sang about this truth on the first Christmas: “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:13-14).

         Notice that the angels are not singing about a God extending His hands to men of good will, but about God's good will being extended to sinful men as an offer of peace. It is not about reward, but about grace. Therefore, there is hope for the sinner and the fallen world. “Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is abundant redemption.” (Psalm 130:7).

         This Advent hope is not passive, but full of expectation and faith. It is a time to look back, remembering what God has already done, and forward, trusting in what He will still do. It is also a penitential time. Just as the psalmist, the sinner must become aware of his own sin to, then, from the depths of his repentance, cry out to the Lord for salvation!.

PRAYER

Lord, teach us to wait on You with sincere repentance and living hope, trusting in Your promises to us, in Christ Jesus, our Savior. Amen.

Written by the Rev. Marcelo Lemos (Brazil), Companion of the NAMS Outpost Brazil and CEO of Editora Bereia (a Christian publishing house).